The Jungle Story
by boredandlazy01
Summary: Jungle Movie prequel type thing. How did Helga and Arnold's relationship shift post-confession? How did Helga get so involved in helping Arnold get to San Lorenzo? A short multi-chapter snapshot.
1. Chapter 1

Arnold got up from his computer chair. He'd lost track of time, but from the rumbling of his stomach, he must have been working on his paper for a while. It was time for a snack.

God, what a draining few days it had been...

Wait a minute; what was that? He doubled back to his window to see blond hair and a pink bow disappear behind a trash can across the street. So that _had_ been Helga he saw. He stared in wonder for a moment; he could just see her side sticking out from her hiding place. Then he sighed and continued on his way downstairs.

"Heya, Shortman," called his grandpa as he passed the kitchen. "Want a snack?"

"Thanks Grandpa, in a minute," he replied.

He didn't understand Helga's stalking thing. Like, at all. He didn't understand much of anything she'd confessed on the roof of FTI, or her behaviour before or since. In fact, he was coming to think that, in spite of the years he had known her, he didn't understand _her_ very well full stop.

But what he had come to understand this year was that, in some way, Helga cared about him. Deeply. Enough to put her own happiness and her family's fortune behind his own. Enough to, apparently, keep watch on him in secret because she knew his pet was sick.

How that squared with her treating him like dirt all the time, he wasn't sure.

He opened the front door and walked down the steps, into the street. "Hey, Helga," he called.

Silence.

"Helga, I know you're behind there. You might as well come out."

There was another few moments of silence, until suddenly, Helga stood. "Found it!" she exclaimed, holding up a dollar. She frowned at his blank expression. "What, did you think I was _hiding_ from you? Get over yourself, loser." She snorted, and began to walk away.

She was so convincing, Arnold almost believed her. Almost. "Helga," he called again.

She didn't stop.

"Do you want to come in?"

That stopped her. She turned and glared at him. "And _why_ would I want to do that?"

He shrugged, deciding to try to play off her feelings for him, and as usual, feeling a little guilty about it. "I dunno. I'd kinda like the company," he said, trying to sound slightly sad.

She didn't respond straight away, and he could see her warring with herself. Defensive, jerk Helga against the Helga who...loved him? It was still so odd to think that.

Finally, she groaned. "Okay, fine," she said, turning around. "But don't say I never did any favours for yeh."

* * *

AN: Sorry it's a very short first chapter; just seemed like the right place to cut it.


	2. Chapter 2

"Heya Arnold, who's your little friend?"

"This is Helga, Grandpa, remember?"

"Oh yeah! Bob Pataki's girl. Hey, Arnold said he couldn't have saved the neighbourhood without you."

Helga went pink at the mention of that, and began to splutter, "Well, uhh..."

Grandpa laughed. "You're as bad as Shortman here. Modesty gets you nowhere, that's what I always say."

"Grandpa..." Arnold chided.

He waved a hand. "Yeah, yeah. If they ever give you a Peace Prize, you'll probably hand it to some guy in the audience..." he muttered

Grandma walked in from the back yard, carrying a strange-looking red plant. "Eleanor!" she exclaimed. "So good of you to drop by!"

Helga began to look more panicked, and Arnold intervened. "Grandma, this is Helga. Anyway, we'll just get some snacks and go upstairs, if that's okay. Helga's helping me with my history essay," he invented.

"Oh sure, Shortman. Gotta get that good studying in," said Grandpa, elbowing him in the ribs.

It was now Arnold's turn to go pink. "Grandpa!" He grabbed some cookies and milk for them both as quickly as he could and fled.

"Heh heh heh, I'm such an old coot," he heard as they ascended the stairs.

"Sorry about my grandparents," he apologised, rubbing his neck awakwardly.

"Don't mention it," Helga said, still looking pink and somewhat shell-shocked.

They reached the landing, and Arnold pulled down the steps to his attic room. "So, uh..." Helga said, not meeting his eyes. "How's Abner?"

Arnold smiled. "He's okay. Or, well, he will be hopefully. The vets got the x-ray results back this afternoon, and it looks like he has something stuck in his stomach, like a piece of metal or something."

Arnold shook his head as he opened the door. "Pigs are great pets, but they will eat anything. So they're going to do an operation tomorrow morning and take whatever it is out." He closed the door behind them and shrugged. "I'm pretty nervous about it, but the vet says it's a pretty routine operation and he should be feeling much better afterwards."

Helga smiled, sincerely, though it was clear she didn't have much practice at it. "Wow, that's...great Arnold. I... I mean you must have been worried."

He nodded. "Yeah, I really was. It was really hard to see him so sick, and well, you worry, you know..." After a moment of painful thinking, he could feel his smile come back. "But hopefully that was just for nothing. I can't wait to have him home again, and back to himself."

Helga smiled back, and Arnold could see the true relief in her eyes. He wasn't sure if she'd ever even met Abner. But he knew it was for his sake she was concerned, as usual.

 _I think she really does...love me._ The feeling hit him so strongly that he nearly betrayed it in his face.

"So, uh..." Helga said after a moment, still smiling, "...what would you like to get up to? I mean, if you're _determined_ to hang out," she remembered to add, with an eye roll.

That was a good question. This was a good opportunity, and he should make proper use of it. But anything too date-y seeming might make her bolt. "...You like video games?"

She shrugged. "They're okay. I like to _win_."

He grinned; he knew a challenge would get her to relax. "That might be difficult," he said honestly. "I'm pretty good." They were his games, after all.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"You're on, Hair Boy. What you got?"

"Well I got a pretty good car racing game you might like."

"It got any monster trucks?" she asked, seeming genuinely excited at the prospect that it might. It was so cute. _Uhm..._ said a small part of his mind, but he ignored it.

He smiled and rolled his eyes. "No."

She blew air out her nose. " _Lame_. But fine. Fire her up."


End file.
